New Delhi, Dec 1 (IANS): D.R. Mehta, the founder of world's largest organisation which provides free artificial fitments to the handicapped, received a lifetime contribution award for "revolutionising healthcare for the physically disabled in India".

Padma Bhushan awardee Mehta, a former Chairman of the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI), was bestowed the honour on Friday at the 2018 gfiles Governance Awards.

He set up Bhagwan Mahaveer Viklang Sahayata Samiti (BMVSS) in 1975 which has over time developed to become the largest organisation for handicapped in the world, providing more than 1.3 million beneficiaries handicapped with artificial limbs/ calipers and other aids and appliances.

At the sixth edition of the gfiles Governance Awards, which recognizes people in governance with consistent performance and those who have made a major contribution to the Indian society, Mehta could not come due to some ailment.

Tourism Minister K.J. Alphons, MP and Minister of State for External Affairs V.K. Singh and former Cabinet Secretary B.K. Chaturvedi were among those present on the occasion.

Other awardees with "exceptional contributions" include Nagpur DCP Harssh Poddar for Crime Prevention, Income Tax (Systems) Commissioner Ramesh Krishnamurthi for modernising filing of ITRs, Ubagarampillai Sagayam for his battle against mining mafia, and USCL Chairman Manish Singh for transforming Indore into the cleanest city of India.